This month has been really lovely so far. I am pretty busy with my classes, and have a lot of school work and communication to keep up with. Now that midterms are over, I am happy to have some time to relax and get a head start on studying for the second round of midterms.

Yesterday, I baked chocolate chip banana squares. Since there were five ripe bananas calling my name, I settled on this recipe, which featured five bananas. I adjusted the amounts of flour and added some oats. They turned out AMAZING – I ate two this morning for breakfast after scrambled eggs and veggies. These banana chocolate chip squares are really tender, and satisfy my sweet tooth without being too sweet. I hope you give the recipe a shot!

Place bananas, honey, butter, eggs, and vanilla in a blender. Blend completely and pour into large bowl.

Mix in dry ingredients and chocolate chips.

Bake 30 minutes, until a knife comes out clean.

Cool completely. Cut into 16 squares.

When I found myself with an extra baked sweet potato, I took off the skin and pureed it, then used it in this great recipe for sweet potato baked oats. They turned out fantastic, and had so much flavour. I’m having fun modifying this base recipe (1.3 cups oats, 1 cup liquid) to try different things. I recently tried this with pumpkin puree instead of sweet potato puree, and steeped the almond milk in chai tea leaves for a great pumpkin-chai fall baked oatmeal.

Healthy Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

4 servings

1 and 1/3 cups quick oats

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

scant 1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup sweet potato puree (1 medium sweet potato)

1 tbsp chia seeds

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 tbsp melted butter (optional)

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all and bake in 8×8 pan for 25 mins at 350 degrees.

One final baking adventure – I had lots of leftover carrots from making Thai green curry, and thought it would be really nice to bake them up into squares. These turned out great – just sweet enough, and loaded with fall flavour. They froze very well.

Apple-Carrot Squares

Ingredients:

1/3 cup almond meal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1 cup quick oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 heaping teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup honey

3 single-serve containers of unsweetened applesauce

3 shredded carrots

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk all wet ingredients.

Whisk all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Whisk wet mixture into dry mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake the loaf for 45 to 50 minutes. Place the pan on a cooling rack, then let the bread cool in the pan. Gently turn the loaf out onto the rack to cool completely.

Store leftover pumpkin bread in an airtight container lined with paper towels for up to 4 days at room temperature or 7 days in the refrigerator. It can be frozen, wrapped tightly and placed in a ziptop bag, for up to 3 months.

Things from recently:

trying to get tickets to Corteo, which is coming to Toronto soon

shopping lists

choreography ideas

recipe for chocolate quinoa breakfast bowl, which I have yet to make

new Netflix show on figure skating

study schedules

ways to learn

Seline and I had lunch at Taco Farm one day, and I had a lovely plate of enchiladas with Mexican rice, arugula salad with pineapples, and sour cream. Seline enjoyed her brunch poutine – a lovely dish of chorizo, veggies, and a fried egg.

Afterwards, we spent some quiet study time at Seven Shores Cafe, where I had a great pumpkin spice chai latte and a vegan chocolate chip cranberry muffin. Seven Shores has the best creative baked goods, and I cannot wait to have their sunflower butter cookie. One day…

Another day, another brunch – here, Seline and I savoured meals at Sole. I had the vegetable crepe, which was loaded with spinach, kale, mushrooms, and goat cheese, then topped with a vodka spaghetti sauce and zucchini/squash ribbons. The best part? Fresh pastries – banana bread and pumpkin seed muffins – before the meal. I love pastries as you can see.

Random things from here and there:

spaghetti squash with Thai green curried vegetables

Mom’s homemade cranberry chocolate cookies

drew some anatomical structures on Seline!

Seline and I LOVE Red House, a restaurant in Uptown Waterloo. Here, I had a beautiful turkey sandwich on potato chive bread (butternut squash aioli was to die for) and a bowl of caramelized onion and golden beet soup. For dessert, I enjoyed the deconstructed lemon meringue pie, which had white chocolate mousse, berry compute, sugar cookie – which I believe should’ve been puff pastry – and lemon curd. Seline had the truffled lamb spaghetti.

Snapshots from aerial silks recently.

Attending a fun conference at the University of Waterloo!

And bits and pieces of volunteering, the fall term with cooler weather, and school stuff. Plus EYE MAKEUP (?!) that my sister experimented on me, for my aerial silks showcase performance.

Things from my Notes on my computer.

And a couple tasty meals.

That’s all I have for ya – wish I could share something more exciting, but every day has just been school, home, school, home, etc. Have a lovely rest of the week!

Hello! Short post today, because I have a couple emails to write and some schoolwork to catch up on. It is really crazy how quickly my courses are progressing, now that I’m in a number of upper-level kinesiology courses. I’ve learned so much in the three-ish weeks of school that we’ve had so far.

AWESOME pic that one of my friends shared on FB. Credit to the artist; unfortunately I couldn’t find his or her name. I like this piece because it shows which animals the poses are named for. I particularly like the peacock and the locust.

Bubble tea at CoCo is on sale until the end of November, so I will have to make sure my sister and I get some!

Mom made Caprese salad at home in BC, because she bought some new balsamic vinegar. It looks so good! I love that combo of flavours.

Campus on a sunny afternoon

Images from Nutrition in Disguise, one of the research groups that I’m involved with

And more…

Seline and I had a meal at Symposium last Sunday. It was my first time at Symposium Cafe, but I’ve heard too many good things about their cake to miss out. I devoured the whole thick slice of SKY-HIGH CARROT CAKE, and Seline had the triple chocolate cake. After this lovely meal, I went to my friend’s house for a potluck.

Another day, Sal and I went to Red House. Red House is one of my favourite Waterloo spots. They have phenomenal salads, soups, pastas, and entrees. Their desserts are always seasonal, and really unique. This time, I had the butternut squash and coconut soup, followed by fried polenta cubes with a beet and goat cheese salad. For dessert, Seline and I shared two: apple crisp with sharp cheddar ice cream and a unique white chocolate cheesecake with Oreo crust and stewed strawberries and figs.

I had a midterm last week, and a few more coming up. A lot of studying needs to be done!

The Halloween showcase at Brass Butterflies aerial studio is coming up, and I have been procrastinating on practicing. I need to get back into working on improving my endurance.

A quick video from aerials:

And some pics that Seline helped me take for my Instagram. I made an Instagram for my job, because I’m working as a Waterloo Warriors Recreation Ambassador this term. So if you’re reading this, you can follow me too. 😉 _cindywei

Things that scare me but I’m doing them anyways this term:

research

starting a club

presenting in front of lecture halls of first-year students

aerial performance

skating competition

teaching a yoga class

Random meal from recently:

Seline’s steak with potatoes, sautéed green beans, and onions

Veggie bean chili with cheddar and fig goat cheese

Vegetable cheddar enchiladas with roasted delicata squash

Quiche with sautéed green beans

More randomness:

Saw this stunning image of rice paddies on Twitter (or Reddit?), and it made me think of the time that I took a bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara, riding past miles of rice paddies. Absolutely incredible, and even more so in person.

A bitmoji that Seline made for me. It’s now my Twitter pic. I’m really a loser, as you can see.

Seline and I went to Menchies the other day because we had a 2-for-1 discount coupon from the mail. My Menchies bowl included chocolate brownie, cheesecake pieces, peanut butter crisp, a malted chocolate ball, cereal, and more. I’m all about the toppings ^_^

Sometimes, between classes, I find Seline and we spend a few hours relaxing, “studying”, and chatting at an on-campus cafe. The other day, I was SO. TIRED. that I slept with my head right on the table.

Bring milk to a simmer. Cut open tea bags, and allow tea to simmer in the milk for 5 minutes. Strain out the tea leaves.

Mix all ingredients and pour into pan.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Chocolate Oat Bars

tasted good, but need to add more condensed milk and a splash of oil to the chocolate filling

more butter in the crumble

double the crumble next time!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1 cup all-purpose flour (will increase to 2 cups next time)

1/2 cup quick oats (will increase to 1 cup next time)

1/2 tsp baking powder (will increase to 1 tsp next time)

1/2 tsp baking soda (will increase to 1 tsp next time)

1/4 tsp salt (will increase to 1/2 tsp next time)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar (will increase to 1.5 cups next time)

1/4 cup oil (will increase to 1/2 cup next time)

1 tsp vanilla (will increase to 2 tsp next time)

1 egg (will increase to 2 eggs next time)

2 tbsp quick oats (will increase to 1/4 cup next time)

2 tbsp softened butter (will increase to 1/4 cup next time)

DIRECTIONS

Heat chocolate chips and milk in 1-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; set aside. Heat oven to 350°. Line a square pan with parchment paper.

Mix flour, oats, the baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; set aside. Stir brown sugar, oil, vanilla and egg in medium bowl with fork until smooth; stir into flour mixture until blended. Reserve 1/2 cup dough in small bowl for topping.

Let cool overnight before cutting, or it will be too tender to hold form. Store cooled leftovers in a covered container for up to several days, though best when fresh. Slice and freeze for longer term storage.

Hello! Happy Canada Day, or happy fourth of July. My sister and I are now in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (Eastern Canada), and I am writing this from the University of Prince Edward Island. My sister and I had a fantastic time in Toronto, and then a good night in Charlottetown, so I have even more photos that I’ve yet to upload. Before I show you some of the delicious eats that I enjoyed during my last week of Australia, here is a list of the activities I did, and the cafes I visited, during my four months in Australia.

Me with my landlord; vacuuming the yoga studio for the last time; delicious meal of veggies, halloumi, scrambled eggs, and falafel

List of Things I Did and Ate in Australia

FOOD-RELATED PLACES I VISITED

Cat and Fiddle Deli Cafe in Toowong

Jocelyn’s Provisions

Pearl Cafe

Mu’ooz

MADO Cafe and Restaurant

Fogata Latin Fusion

Anouk

Tartufo

Gauge

Crust & Co. Bakery

Harveys

She Bangs

Pourboy Espresso

Sourced Grocer

Morning After

Banneton

A Night In India

Corner Store Cafe

Campos Coffee

Bakers Arms

Chouquette

John Mills Himself

Abode Cafe

Bunker Coffee

Three Monkeys Coffee House

Nitrogenie

Pawpaw Restaurant

The Gunshop Cafe

FUN-RELATED PLACES I VISITED

Cultural Centre

Gallery of Modern Art

Queensland Performing Arts Centre

State Library of Queensland

Queensland Art Gallery

Queensland Museum

City Hall Clock Tower

Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens

City Cat ferry down Brisbane River

Roma Street Parkland

Museum of Brisbane

New Farm Park

Brisbane River walk

Brisbane Powerhouse Theatre

South Bank

Milton Sunday Market

Jan Powers Farmers Market: Powerhouse Market, City Farmers Market

Wheel of Brisbane

Streets Beach, Little Stanley Boutiques

Davies Park Farmers Market

City Botanic Gardens

Suncorp Stadium

Queen Street Mall

Eagle Street Pier

Anzac Square

City Centre Heritage Trail

BrisAsia Festival

Avid Reader Bookstore

Woolloongabba Antique Centre

West End (shopping)

Paddington

Science Centre

Fortitude Valley nooks, like Bakery Lane

Now, here are some of the things that I wanted to do. Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to doing these activities or eating at these restaurants. I suppose that means I’ll have to come back to Australia in the future.

IF I HAD ANOTHER WEEK, I WOULD SEE:

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Eat Street Northshore Market

Sherwood Arboretum

Noosa Heads

Mount Coot-tha lookout

Story Bridge Adventure Climb

Spring Hill Baths

Australia Zoo

Kangaroo Point Cliffs Walk

Brisbane Maritime Museum

Moreton Bay snorkelling at Tangalooma wrecks, whale-watching

IF I HAD ANOTHER WEEK, I WOULD EAT:

Ecco Bistro

Naim

Cafe O Mai

Wild Canary

Lady Marmalade

Goodness Gracious

GOMA Restaurant

Julius Pizzeria

Popolo

Longtime

Merriweather Cafe

Marchetti Cafe

Double Shot New Farm

Gettin’ Place

The Yiros Shop

Corbette and Claude

King Arthur Cafe

The Cheese Pleaser

Billy Kart Kitchen

Flour and Chocolate Patisserie

Sassafras Canteen

Jam Pantry

Gertrude and Mabel

Scout Cafe

Miss Bliss Whole Foods Restaurant

Let Minnow

Lokal & Co.

This was one of the last, and most delicious things, I ate at Pearl Cafe. It was a sticky date loaf topped with date buttercream, poached pears, and honeycomb ice cream. It was a dreamy dessert with all the richness and fresh sweetness I could ask for. The ice cream, paired with soft pears and date loaf, was superb.

One weekend morning, I went to the University of Queensland yoga festival, where there were tons of food and clothes vendors, a corner for meditation, and a large outdoors yoga class. The sunny weather was perfect for some zen-time, and I enjoyed watching the yogis with a small cup of Blackdog vegan chai made with soy milk. Then, I said goodbye to the UQ campus!

You guys! How amazing does this look? From Nodo donuts, I enjoyed this homemade brioche bread topped with beet-cured salmon, a soft egg, dill foam, greens, yuzu pearls, and sorrel. The flavours were extraordinary, and it was hands-down the most unique eggs benedict-type meal I’ve ever enjoyed. I wish there was more, because that buttery toasted brioche was heavenly with a smear of brown butter hollandaise, and all the flavourful toppings. I will think about this forever.

I also had a small cup of chai and a delicious baked cheesecake with mixed berries. The crust (gluten-free) is so good, and I dare say it’s better than any gluten-containing crust I could imagine. It has a light nutty flavour that I love.

A lot of lists and schedules were made.

Goodbye, beautiful, beautiful Brisbane! The sunset was glorious one evening, and another day, Seline graduated from high school. The last image is from her commencement, where she received two big awards. The entire family was very proud of her, and she was simultaneously shocked and thrilled.

From Anouk Cafe, I loved their salmon pot pie with herb gremolata and arugula salad. For dessert, I had a buttery apple almond flour cake with sliced almonds on top, and two generous vanilla ice cream scoops. This is my favourite kind of dessert – a little fruity, made with almond meal, warm, and served with plenty of ice cream.

Another day, I had a Pearl Cafe strawberry shortcake cake, which was incredibly buttery and delicious. The strawberry jam, sandwiched between shortcake layers, provided plenty of fruity, summery flavour.

Campos Coffee for lunch: mushroom risotto with roasted chestnuts and smoked cheese. I don’t have risotto as much as I’d like, because ravioli and gnocchi always seem more appealing, but this was divine. The smoked cheese on top was slightly melted and had such a sharp flavour that paired beautifully with the creamy rice. For dessert, I loved the peanut butter chocolate brownie, which came with raspberry puree, whipped cream, and two scoops of unpictured vanilla ice cream. The peanut butter swirl here was THICK!

One Sunday afternoon, I went to Brisbane’s Art Gallery. It was a beautiful, serene, thought-provoking place with many galleries that I thoroughly enjoyed. These were some of my favourites. The Garden of Narcissus was one of my favourites (it’s the one with the mirrored orbs on the water). According to the Queensland Art Gallery blog: clusters and constellations are formed, reflecting the building’s architecture back onto itself from an infinite number of angles. Not unlike the myth, there is a dreamy yet sinister aspect to the work — it mesmerises at the same time that it forces one to look away. I love how it blends art with architecture.

Lovely meal at home: a mix of salads, including my favourite with roasted cauliflower and date, and some quiche. One of them is a homemade tart with spinach and truffled goat cheese, and the others were purchased from Botanica. I am going to miss their quiche (the crispy, flavourful crust is unbelievable) so much.

Finally, I had a wonderful time at aerials before I left. When packing for the plane ride, I looked at thesetwo websites, which informed me which healthy things I could bring onto the plane. Very exciting! Then, before I knew it, I was back in Canada. 🙂

Finally, a list that I’ve been working on, ever since I arrived in Australia!

Things I Liked About My Time in Australia

Class and campus

Play area on campus for children, like a day care, whose parents are in class

Cover page scanner for academic submissions

Lecture automatically recorded and uploaded to Blackboard

UQ Library website has previous course exams for the last five years

Classes are smaller, with about 30-50 students

Classes are more interactive, with discussions, debates, word banks

Professors and other speakers honour Indigenous people, the traditional owners of the land

15 libraries on campus, and many of them are open 24 hours

Sleeping pods in the libraries

Buildings are numbered, and there are signs that direct you to different buildings

Classes are broadcasted on a screen outside the lecture hall, so you can always be sure that you are entering the correct room

UQ Nav app so I don’t get lost on campus

Professors and other university staff answer their emails very clearly, promptly, politely

Many microwaves and kitchenettes

Largest, most beautiful campus ever!

Many food options on campus, and open from morning until evening (including Chatime)

Free ice cream during O-Fest (Orientation Week)

All readings are available online; do not need to purchase textbook

Transport

Excellent bike lanes, bicycle lights, pedestrian areas

Slow for SAM (Speeding Awareness Monitors) on small roads with a smiley face

Bus times projected on screens

Large number of buses that go everywhere

Stops are numbered

It is very clear which buses go where

Bus drivers are kind and interact with passengers

People line up to take the bus, rather than crowding around the stop

Bus drivers wait until everyone is seated

Trains have U-shaped poles, so there is extra room for guide dogs

Trains have security and a lot of workers supervising

Trains have very cushy, comfortable seats

No allergies at all (no sneezing, no runny nose)

Because it’s so hot, I sweat a lot and my pimples disappeared

Super colourful birds with very vibrant colours

Mats at C!RCA training centre are very clean

Farmers markets (~15-20 per week?): over 50,000 markets, festivals, and events in Brisbane each year

Beautiful river with great bridges and comfortable, safe river walk

Foam soap that smells like soap from Princess Café

Free outdoor gyms for adults

Smaller bananas

Kitchens, bathrooms, etc. are more environmentally-friendly

Vegan market, many organic/raw/vegan restaurants, and many vegan options available in restaurants/grocery stores

Takeout coffee culture, so everyone has little reusable glass coffee cup that they take to cafes (many cafes have Keep Cup discounts)

A Night in India has kind waitresses and delicious palak paneer

Sun rises very early

Accents are occasionally tricky for me to understand, so I have to listen very carefully during lectures instead of zoning out

Dining outside is easier and more common, with great patios

Many butcher shops in malls, and many of which sell meat pies

Casual dress

Tips are incorporated into the bill, so tipping is not required

Tap water is drinkable, and there are water fountains everywhere

Many garbage cans out on the street, so there is little litter

People are generally very laidback, friendly

Wi-Fi everywhere, even on the bus

I have a moveable shower head

I live close to restaurants, shopping centres, grocery stores, and a great library

Tax is included in prices

Many seasonal fresh fruits (eg. Papayas, melons)

Tiny asparagus and giant blueberries

Farmers markets are typically cheaper than grocery stores

Grocery stores have massive yogurt selection

Vibrant colours: super blue sky, very green grass

Unique and beautiful plant life

Keys to home are not fussy; easy to use

Live music in the valley at night (great nightlife, and a lot of bars)

Time difference makes it quite easy for me to chat with family (they go to sleep around my afternoon/evening), and Mom wakes up before I go to bed

My sister, Seline, is graduating from high school in a few weeks, and will be attending university at the University of Waterloo in September. Here are some of the things she is looking forward to, dreading, and more.

CW: Can you describe a typical day in the life of Semester 2 High School Grade 12 Seline? What classes are you taking, what time are you getting to school, and who are your teachers? nah What are you learning?

SW: I get to school at 8:25 after waking up at 8:00. I’m currently taking Psychology, Economics, and English. I have two off blocks so I go home to finish homework and often nap. I’d classify this semester as one of the chillest ones since grade 9.

What do you think you will miss the most about Centennial? What will you be sad to leave behind? On the other hand, is there anything that you will certainly NOT miss?

I will probably miss the easy courses because most of the teachers at school are pretty lenient and as long as you try hard, you’ll do good. I’ll be sad to leave behind all the good memories I made in my four years of high school. But I will not miss some of my classmates, oops.

Are you excited about prom and commencement? Which parts are you excited about? Why?

I’m actually not excited for either. It’s a lot of work. Prom (grad) was so tiring with all the planning and caused numerous miscommunications and unnecessary hassle. Commencement will be four hours of sitting in a hot auditorium listening to speeches and watching people I don’t even know walk across a stage and get their diploma. I guess I’m excited at the fact that after that, high school will officially be over.

Which classes are you taking in the fall term? Can you tell me something that you are looking forward to in each class, or why you chose the class?

I’m taking Anthropology, Classical Studies, Psychology and Sociology. I chose these classes because I’ve never had the opportunity to explore this area and they all sound pretty interesting. I like psychology so despite taking it right now, I’m also going to take it again in the fall.

Which classes are you taking in the winter term? Can you tell me something that you are looking forward to in each class, or why you chose the class?

I’m going to take Japanese, Greek Mythology, Pathopsychology and History. Again, I never took these courses before (except Japanese but it sounds fun) so I wanted to try them out. Also, since it’s first year, nothing is decided or official so I’m just taking the courses that sound fun. I might even want to change out of my psychology major by the end of the year, who knows.

Are there any classes that you are scared or worried about? Why?

I’m scared about Japanese because I heard it’s hard but I think I have an okay understanding in the basics of the vocabulary and grammar. I’m also scared about the courses I’ve never tried before like Anthropology and Classical Studies because I have no idea what to expect from them besides a huge workload and tons of reading.

Do you think you will have a favourite course? Which one?

I think my favourite course will be the Greek Mythology one. That one sounds super fun and interesting to look into. I’ve always been interested in ancient mythology and it’ll be exciting to learn more about it in the Winter.

What are your prospective majors, and why did you choose them?

I chose Psychology and Classical Studies. I chose Psychology as my first because I wanted to be a form of therapist ever since middle school so I want to explore down that field and learn more about it along with its possible career choices. I chose Classical Studies because I think I have a genuine interest in those classes. Also, getting a major in this sounds like it could lead to some potentially really cool jobs.

Aside from classes, what are you excited about when it comes to university in Waterloo? Are there any clubs, organizations, or extracurricular activities that you want to be a part of? Here is a link of all of Waterloo’s clubs (remember to select a category, otherwise there will be too many pages!).

I don’t think I’d want to join any clubs or extra-curricular activities just yet; I know I’m going to have a lot of trouble keeping up the pace with all the new courses and workload, so I don’t want to bombard myself with more commitments just yet. Once I’m comfortable with the new schedule and way of living, I’ll consider it.

What is the biggest difference that you think you will face, comparing high school to university? Are you ready for that change?

Probably moving out of the house and living alone with Cindy. Ever since kindergarten my mom always drove me to school, picked me up, cooked my food, and did tidying around the house. When I move out, it’ll all be up to me. Unless Cindy wants to be a roommate and a maid. I’m ready for this change because if I don’t learn to become more independent now, what other time would I be able to have this opportunity?

Bonus question: I want you to vividly imagine a typical day in the life of First-Year University Seline. What time do you wake up, and which classes do you attend? Do you engage in any fun extracurriculars? Where and when do you study? Do you like to cook, and do you spend time with friends?

Depending on my schedule, I hope the earliest time I wake up at is 8:30. I have a super hard time waking up, but then again, I don’t recall ever being late for a class so I should be okay. I can see the day consist of transportation, school, study, eat and sleep. I’ll probably study at home because I’ve never been able to focus in libraries or cafes. At home, at a desk with some music in the background would be just fine. I’ve learned a few new recipes recently that I’ll take with me to Waterloo that I can see myself making. Pasta, egg, bread, pizza, salad, fruits, green beans, mashed potatoes, chicken, noodles are all pretty doable. And I hope to make lots of new friends in my first year so we can hang out and study together! Nothing too much or else I’ll get stressed with all the major changes and duties I have to do. I want to take on the first year with little to no stress so hopefully that happens.

Bonus question #2: Be 100% honest. How do you feel about your upcoming English provincial? Do you have any predictions?

I hate talking about this topic because it stresses me out but I’ll just hope for the best and pray I write the provincial well with the knowledge I know. I try to study a few literary devices everyday or so to prepare myself for the test. I don’t want to make any predictions because I’ll definitely jinx myself.

Hello! I was really tempted to start this post with ‘Chai there’, but… I resisted. Well, without further ado (this is such a weird word), I visited Three Monkeys Cafe yesterday. It’s described as the most atmospheric cafe in the city, and boasts the biggest mug bowl of chai.

According to The Urban List: “Where else can you get a tureen of chai at 9.30pm on a Wednesday night? When it comes to serving sizes, Three Monkeys knows what’s up. Their yawning bowls of chai have garnered such a rep that a recent stigma has developed towards anyone hoping to ‘nip in for a small one’. To be fair, Three Monkeys’ largest vessel is probably more than most people can handle, but chai addiction is as real as it is harmless and I’ve never known a fiend to hold back when that flagrant spice display hits the table.”

It was delicious, and a perfect serving size for me because I can never get enough chai. It came with a single packet of honey, which was perfect, but I think two packets would’ve made my sweet tooth even happier. Next time, I’ll come back for some of the cakes – I was bewildered by the number of cheesecakes, tiramisus (is this how you pluralize it?), mud cakes, and more. It was amazing. I’m actually very tempted to stand up, get dressed, and leave my house right now to go back to Three Monkeys.

After I spiced up my life with the chai (pun stolen from the Urban List), I went to Botanica! I talked about this place in my last blog post, so you all know already how much I love this place. Gluten-free treats, a massive variety of vegan salads, incredible quiche – everything made with fresh ingredients. If this place was any closer to my home, I’d be bankrupt.

I went for a walk yesterday to Brisbane’s awesome West End! When I leave Australia, I will really miss the beautiful river walks and early sunsets.

The river walk and the Go Between Bridge took me to the Boundary Street Markets! The markets run every Friday and Saturday evening, from 4:00 to 10:00 pm. There were about eight to ten stalls, all selling unique ethnic eats. Ones that stood out to me include a Malaysian satay vendor, an Italian waffle ice cream vendor, Dutch miniature pancakes, Korean barbecue, and Nepalese momos (steamed dumplings). I had dinner plans, so unfortunately I didn’t get to grab any of the treats.

Some funny things – a tweet I saw and a street sign that someone improved. 😉

On Monday morning, I felt like going for a nice walk. Since it’s getting cooler in Brisbane, to a much more comfortable weather, I love going for refreshing, sunny morning walks. One morning, I headed straight ti John Mills Himself, a trip I’d been looking forward to for so long. Finally, finally, I got my hot chocolate! They offered hot chocolate in every flavour imaginable, and you can choose between two levels of chocolatey-ness: milk chocolate or dark chocolate (70%). The lady behind the counter informed me that while the milk chocolate is sweeter, the dark chocolate is richer. Then, you add a shot of flavour! These are some of the flavours I remember:

lemongrass

bergamot (the citrus from earl grey tea)

chai

peanut butter

peppermint

lavender

rose petals

and about four or five more… that I can’t remember! But don’t worry, I’ll be back to double check 😉

I originally came for the lavender, but was so tempted by the peppermint – and ended up choosing peanut butter. If I see peanut butter, anywhere on a menu, I need it! Next time, I want to try the peppermint or the lavender, though I’m sure the chai would taste wonderful with hot chocolate as well. In the end, my 70% chocolate peanut butter hot chocolate was topped with a heap of chocolate shavings, freshly-cracked sea salt, and… it was divine. Honestly. From heaven.

Also, love the double-walled (is that what you call it?) cup.

Today, I felt… celebratory? For no reason. Why not? I celebrated my Tuesday morning by visiting the Gunshop Cafe, where I had a spectacular and memorable brunch. I’ve always loved the West End, an area of Brisbane which is known for hundreds of trendy and hip cafes and restaurants, but I hardly ever go there. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know why.

Well, I went! I finally went!

Thanks to this incredible picture on Instagram posted by the Gunshop Cafe, showing their famous gnocchi with blue cheese sauce and mushrooms. Doesn’t that look amazing?

I went for brunch, so the gnocchi wasn’t an option, but I was exhilarated to order the raisin and walnut toast, which was topped with – get this! – grilled camembert cheese, sautéed mushrooms, crispy sage, and red onion jam. Is this real life?

For dessert, the deconstructed carrot cake was calling my name. This came with a parsnip puree and a scoop of nutmeg gelato, garnished with carrot-coconut chips and walnut crumble. Even better, the carrot cake itself was warm! One of the dreamiest desserts I’ve enjoyed in a long time. It was also such a photogenic dish that I took a million photographs, and had a hard time narrowing it down to three images.

Some other little bits and pieces:

I had a chai latte from Merlo’s Coffee (on campus) this morning. Merlo’s, to me, is the Aussie version of Starbucks – they sell breakfast goods, plenty of drinks, and have snacks to-go. Their chai latte was mediocre: not hot enough, overly sweet, overpoweringly milky. I’m 99% sure that it was made with chai syrup rather than real spices (in other words, the chai latte didn’t even have tea in it). Thankfully, I got it for free because everyone who signs up for a Merlo’s card gets two free drinks!

I have the most serious internal debates when I’m trying to figure out which restaurant or cafe I want to go to!

In the suburb that I live, it’s so easy to go to the “busy part” of Brisbane, or the “downtown” area, by walking! It’s not a long walk, and there are plenty of water fountains, benches, flowers, and areas to rest along the way.

On Saturday evening, I had tickets to see a spectacular one-woman show called Invisible Things. Before the show, I chatted with some friends from aerials, and they recommended a different show to me. Kelsey and I share a lot of mutual friends, though I haven’t met her in person before, and I’ll probably pick up tickets for her one-woman show as well.

Invisible Things was created by Alex, who coached my old aerial straps instructor, Ben, and his partner, Maddy. Alex’s show was described by reviewers as an “emotionally-charged performance [that] journeys to an intimate inner world”. In the show, Alex fuses dance, theatre, and circus arts.

According to the site, Alex designed the show to reflect on nearly two decades of her personal journals, where she battles with her identity, and the dark voices in her head. I’ve never met Alex personally, but I have heard incredible things about her athleticism and creativity. All my friends who saw the show before me told me about how the powerful storytelling and gorgeous hand balancing made up an amazing show. They were right! This was super cool. I was amazed by how one woman, without even using words, could captivate an audience for 45 minutes.

That’s all! I’m not sure if I have anything else to share with you guys today, so I suppose I will leave it at that. Wishing you all a wonderful last week of May!

I really wish I had something interesting and thought-provoking to share with you this lovely Monday morning, but I really don’t.

It’s almost winter here in Australia, and the weather is getting noticeably cooler. Fortunately, I can still wear shorts and a t-shirt since we are around the mid-twenties for most of the day. This is my favourite kind of weather – warm and sunny, but not overwhelmingly hot. It’s such a comfortable temperature that I wish it could stay like this year-round.

On Mother’s Day, I had a lovely brunch with my landlords (husband and wife) and her daughter (my housemate). We savoured brunch at a cafe called Café 63 in New Farm. Their menu was very extensive, they had quick service, and it was great to sit out in the patio. I ordered the mashed avocado, multigrain toast, two poached eggs, and smoked salmon. I haven’t had avocado toast in quite a while, so this was incredible. The black pepper and lime juice took the flavours to the next level.

I’ve been neglecting my blog a little bit with only twoposts in the last three weeks. It’s because my schoolwork is getting busier. Final exams begin at the start of June, so many of my exams are less than a month away. When I have a lot to do, I genuinely enjoy making to-do lists – the longer the better! – and feel so much satisfaction checking off the tasks.

I haven’t been taking many pictures of my food, mostly because I feel like I eat the same thing every day. It’s always a combination of store-bought salad from Botanica Real Food (check out their Instagram, seriously), alongside some homemade quiche or omelet, and sometimes fried halloumi or bread from the farmer’s market.

Broke my record for steps! In contrast to… sitting on my butt for hours at a time to study.

I love Brisbane! At night it becomes such a colourful, vibrant place when all the bridges light up and illuminate the water. I learned yesterday that swimming and rowing in the Brisbane River is highly advised against, because there are bull sharks in here!

After my term in Australia, then July and August, I will be moving back to Waterloo, this time with my sister! Seline was accepted into the University of Waterloo, so we are very excited about being able to live together. I’ve been choosing my courses, and we have been working together to find a nice and affordable place at a convenient location in Waterloo.

Now, for something completely unrelated to school and housing:

Here’s a list of my favourite side dish salad combinations, inspired by Botanica!

Cirque Physio, a website by physiotherapist and circus artist Dr. Jen Crane. She provides all kinds of excellent tips and tricks (that I get on FB!) about recovery, injury prevention, and healthy habits – all targeting aerialists and acrobats.

Along those lines, I downloaded The Artist Athlete Podcast by Shannon McKenna. I’ve never been a big fan of podcasts, but her podcast has featured interviews and conversations with high-level performers, occupational therapists, riggers, and a variety of artists. Her voice is so easy to listen to, and she brings up some excellent points. One of my favourite episodes was one from May 7, where she spoke with Anton Belyakov, a professional hand balancer born into a circus family.

That’s pretty much all I have for today, but I’m going to some great cafes today and tomorrow, and an awesome show that I’m very excited about. Have a great day!